Pandemic vulnerability knowledge visualisation for strategic decision-making: A COVID-19 index for government response in Australia

Purpose: First, the key vulnerability factors from the literature are identified. Second, using the vulnerability factors as indicators, a composite index is developed. Last, from the index values, a set of vulnerability knowledge maps, showing the vulnerability hotspots, are prepared. Design/methodology/approach: This study aims to develop a pandemic vulnerability knowledge visualisation index to support the strategic decision-making efforts of authorities. Findings: Ten indicators are identified as vulnerability factors that could significantly impact the virus spread risks. Verifying the identified hotspots against the recorded infected cases and deaths has evidenced the usefulness of the index. Determining and visualising the high-vulnerability locations and communities could help in informed strategic decision-making and responses of the authorities to the pandemic. Originality/value: The study demonstrates that the developed pandemic vulnerability knowledge visualisation index is particularly appropriate in the context of Australia. Nonetheless, by replicating the methodologic steps of the study, customised versions can be developed for other country contexts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Television coverage of gender-based violence in Spain during lockdown

This article analyzes the presence of gender-based violence on free-to-air Spanish television (TV) channels La1, Antena 3, Tele 5, La Sexta, and Cuatro throughout their 24-h daily broadcasting, between March 20, 2020 and June 20, 2020, along with the same period for the year 2019. This article studies whether, despite the COVID-19-dominated agenda of media coverage of gender-based violence increased or decreased, driven by government policies to protect potential victims. Also, we analyze whether any TV channels provided tools (such as the 016 helpline) to help women or were rather limited to reporting murder cases. In addition, the most predominant terms used in such coverage are identified, along with any potential difference in the behavior of public versus private TV channels. The data confirm, among other issues, that coverage of gender-based violence on these TV channels decreased during the studied time frame. However, the mention of tools aimed at supporting women at risk increased. The results of this study also reveal that TV coverage of violence against women did not coincide with the dates in which gender-based murders took place and that, of all Spanish media networks, public TV paid the most attention to this issue. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

A social psychological investigation of community sentiment toward COVID-19 mitigation policies in the justice system

The COVID-19 pandemic led to many policy changes across the U.S. justice system that aimed to reduce the spread of the deadly virus. The present dissertation provides novel insights into community sentiment toward justice system COVID-19 mitigation policies such as the early release of prisoners, the pretrial release of defendants, the suspension of fines and fees, and the prioritization of prisoner vaccination. Using a student sample (study 1) and a demographically-representative U.S. community sample (study 2), this dissertation found that political conservatism was negatively associated with support for justice system COVID-19 mitigation policies across both samples. Prison reform attitudes and COVID-19 anxiety were also positively associated with support for justice system mitigation policies in the community sample. In addition to exploring direct relationships, this research examined mechanisms between political conservatism and support for justice system COVID-19 mitigation policies. The results provide evidence that people high in political conservatism show low support for justice system COVID-19 mitigation policies because of authoritarian attitudes and their moral disengagement from those in the justice system. The results of this research contribute to the growing literature on how individual differences can affect COVID-19 pandemic-related attitudes. They also provide policymakers with an idea of how to tailor a more effective public health strategy to promote the welfare of one of the most vulnerable populations to public health crises - those involved in the justice system. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The effects of responsibility frames and stigmatizing headlines in news on support for covid-19 policies in korea

This study examined the mechanisms through which responsibility frames and stigmatizing headlines influence support for governmental policies to address the pandemic. Based on a factorial design experiment, we examined the effects of 2 responsibility frames (individual vs. societal responsibility) and 4 headline types (non-stigmatized vs. name-stigmatized vs. characteristic-stigmatized vs. both-stigmatized). The results showed that the individual responsibility frame increased individual attribution of responsibility for the cause and spread of COVID-19 whereas reducing societal attribution of responsibility, compared to the societal responsibility frame. The headline that detailed both the stigmatized characteristic and name increased individual attribution of responsibility compared to the non-stigmatized headline. Furthermore, the effects of frames and headline types on policy support were sequentially mediated by attribution of responsibility and emotions. Individual attribution of responsibility led to anger whereas societal attribution of responsibility led to sympathy. Subsequently, anger increased support for punitive policies while sympathy increased support for assistive policies. This study contributes to the literature on news framing of pandemics by integrating cognitive and emotional mechanisms in forming policy attitudes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Which teachers were most affected in terms of mental health during the strict covid-19 lockdown in spain?

This study looks at the effect that the compulsory COVID-19 lockdown restrictions introduced by the Spanish government had on the quality of life of teachers working in the Spanish education system, i.e. those teaching at early years, primary, secondary, tertiary vocational training and university education levels. Participants completed a questionnaire that included the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) along with other questions relating to their wellbeing from the European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS). A total of 668 teachers responded to the questionnaire, which was generated using Microsoft Forms and distributed in an online format. The results confirm significant levels of abnormal anxiety during prolonged lockdown. We perform a multivariate analysis that shows that, whatever the level of anxiety, two variables are always significant in all the contrast models: participants felt the effects of lockdown on a personal level and found it difficult to carry out their work. The results also indicate that teachers working in primary and secondary education were those most affected by the strict, prolonged lockdown and that female teachers suffered much higher levels of anxiety than male teachers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The experience of advocating for ibogaine through the political process

The purpose of this study was to discuss the experience of this doctoral student engaging in the political process through the lens of advocating for alternative treatment methods for opioid use disorders (OUDs). A policy brief was created that aimed to have the Illinois General Assembly reschedule the psychedelic substance ibogaine so that it may be researched and potentially utilized as a treatment for OUDs in the state of Illinois. This project attempted to create a coalition with potential allies and held two meetings with Illinois House of Representative Members before ending the action phase of this project. While the intended efforts of this project were not successful, the writer learned to adapt to change including facing the COVID-19 pandemic, stigma of psychedelics, hesitancy of potential allies to get involved, and critique the underdeveloped planning and research in this project, all important factors when engaging in policy work. This project also encountered positive outcomes including positive relationships with professionals and firsthand experience of policy work. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19 conspiracy theories and compliance with governmental restrictions: The mediating roles of anger, anxiety, and hope

The COVID-19 pandemic has been an ideal breeding ground for conspiracy theories. Yet, different beliefs could have different implications for individuals' emotional responses, which in turn could relate to different behaviours and specifically to either a greater or lesser compliance with social distancing and health-protective measures. In the present research, we investigated the links between COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs, emotions (anger, anxiety, and hope), attitudes towards government restrictions, and self-reported compliant behaviour. Results of a cross-sectional survey amongst a large UK sample (N = 1,579) provided support for the hypothesis that COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs showed a polarizing relationship with compliant behaviour through opposing emotional pathways. The relation was mediated by higher levels of anger, themselves related to a lesser perceived importance of government restrictions, and simultaneous higher levels of anxiety, related to a greater perceived importance. Hope was also related to conspiracy beliefs and to greater perceived importance but played a weaker role in the mediational model. Results suggest that the behavioural correlates of conspiracy beliefs might not be straightforward, and highlight the importance of considering the emotional states such beliefs might elicit when investigating their potential impact. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

The dual effect of COVID-19 on intergroup conflict in the Korean Peninsula

The coronavirus pandemic has fundamentally shifted the way human beings interact, both as individuals and groups, in the face of such a widespread outbreak. This paper seeks to investigate the effects of COVID-19 on intergroup emotions and attitudes within an intractable intergroup conflict, specifically, through the lens of the Korean conflict. Using a two-wave, cross-sectional design, this study was able to track the profound psychological changes in intergroup emotions and attitudes both prior to the pandemic and during its onslaught. Results of these two wave representative samples show that South Korean citizens demonstrated higher levels of fear of their neighbors in North Korea after the outbreak of COVID-19 than before. In turn, this led to increased societal support of hostile government policies towards North Koreans. Conversely, the same participants exhibited higher levels of empathy towards North Koreans during the pandemic, which led to a higher willingness to collaborate with their outgroup. This dual effect on intergroup emotions within intractable conflicts brings forth new avenues from which societies may be able to restrain the destructive influence of the COVID-19 threat on intergroup relations-as well as harvesting its constructive potential for reconciling warring intergroup relations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

A perspective on the emotional and cognitive effects of the measures put in place due to COVID-19 in Puerto Rican children

After a year and a half of experimenting individual and collective changes that the pandemic restrictions have brought due to COVID-19, there is a growing literature in different disciplines documenting the effects the global population is experiencing. Due to this continuous reality, we proposed a theory article that would connect neuroscientific theories with recent literature to expose the emotional and learning effects COVID-19 is having on Puerto Rican children. Additionally, we proposed to summarize applicable recommendations to the home, educational, clinical contexts, as well as potential applications for public policy. For this end, the following objectives were established: 1) state how the neurophysiological perspective allows us to explain the emotional and learning effects, 2) state how Puerto Rican children have been emotionally and cognitively affected by the COVID- 19 pandemic, 3) state assertive practices to mitigate the discussed effects. The neuroscientific theories were applied to the effects that recent literature has shown, and found recommendations were also included (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) Abstract (Spanish) Al ano y medio de haber experimentado cambios individuales y colectivos por las restricciones de la pandemia ocasionadas por COVID-19, ya comienza a haber literatura en distintas disciplinas indicando sobre los efectos que estan trastocando a la poblacion global. Ante esta continua realidad, se propuso redactar un escrito de modelo teorico que enlace teorias neurocientificas con la literatura actual para exponer los efectos emocionales y de aprendizaje que COVID-19 esta teniendo en la ninez puertorriquena. De igual manera se propuso resumir las recomendaciones de literatura reciente aplicables a contextos del hogar, de aprendizaje, clinicos, y aplicaciones de politica publica. Para este fin, se plantearon los siguientes objetivos: 1) exponer como la perspectiva neurofisiologica nos permite explicar los efectos emocionales y de aprendizaje, 2) conocer como la ninez puertorriquena se ha visto afectada emocional y cognitivamente por la pandemia COVID-19 y, 3) exponer practicas acertadas para aminorar los efectos discutidos. Las teorias neurocientificas se aplicaron a los efectos que estan siendo mostrados por la literatura reciente, al igual que se redactaron las recomendaciones encontradas. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Social inclusion and immigrant workers: Coming out of the shadows during COVID-19 pandemic

Immigrant groups are often adversely affected by the social exclusion process, which promotes a lack of opportunities, choice, and not being part of the democratic process that promotes social inclusion. In the USA, immigrants, particularly the undocumented, work at higher rates in essential critical infrastructure sectors than native-born citizens. COVID-19 has exposed the systemic undervaluing of work that is now clearly understood to be essential for societal survival. During the COVID-19 pandemic, immigrants are risking their health to keep Americans safe, healthy, food secured, and contributing to the US economic recovery. The need to promote social inclusion measures for immigrant essential workers is a global concern. This chapter addresses the COVID-19 pandemic, a relational conceptualization of social exclusion, essential workers, and the significance of undocumented immigrant contributions during the pandemic. It acknowledges the divestment of immigrant populations by the Trump administration, and the lack of responsiveness by the US Senate to the needs of undocumented immigrant essential workers. Future directions include a reconstruction of social inclusion measures through a call to action. A partnership among government, employers, and essential workers is necessary for the undocumented to come out of the shadows and become part of the social fabric through a pathway to citizenship. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Behavior change during COVID-19: A matter of life and death? [References]

During the COVID pandemic, the human race has experienced the world unlike ever before. There have been instances of great success as well as instances of profound failure. The examination of how threat and anxiety manifest to contribute to either success or failure has revealed two distinct strategies. To mitigate existential anxiety, some individuals resort to prejudice, violence, and the pro-authoritarian orientation. Other individuals deploy intuitive strategies that enable them to continue life constructively. The sensitivity to incentivization and coercion by individuals who lack the self-regulation ability to deal with their anxiety effectively suggests that de-radicalization at the system level is needed to limit the impact of extreme views on society. Second, the development of social policy that condemns anxiety-provoking behaviors, such violence and discrimination, can restore social cohesion. This chapter notes that behavior change is challenging even under peaceful conditions. It emphasizes the existential dimension of the current crisis. The chapter discusses the importance of reducing a sense of threat, both psychologically and socially, so that responses to anxiety and fear are not channeled toward common but maladaptive reactions such as aggression and xenophobia. It points out that these aims require insightful social policies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Racial framing of pandemic outcomes has conditional indirect effects on support for COVID-19 mitigation policies: Examining moral and threat-based mediating mechanisms

Two studies explored the intersection between the COVID-19 pandemic and the continuing fight for racial justice. The pandemic has exacerbated existing racial inequalities in the United States in terms of public health and economic outcomes, and it is well-established that individuals higher in racial bias are less likely to support social safety net programs such as those meant to improve public health and reduce poverty. This is particularly true among individuals who perceive racial minorities as overbenefitting from safety net programs. Accordingly, the primary focus of the current studies was to examine whether framing the pandemic in terms of its disproportionate impact on minorities would reduce support for pandemic mitigation policies. In addition, we examine whether such effects were mediated through psychological mechanisms of moral outrage and perceptions of realistic and symbolic threat, and moderated by participants' racial bias. Participants' belief in a just world was included as a covariate given its established role in predicting many related social outcomes. Results suggested that racial framing interacts with participants' racial bias to affect policy support indirectly through multiple mechanisms. Broad implications regarding the relationship between racial bias and public support for a strong social safety net are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Deconstructing the digital divide: The geography, demography, and spatial dependence of internet stability in the U.S

Internet access and connectivity has become a crucial issue of public policy across the globe. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as individuals and households transitioned to remote work and learning, usage of and strain on home networks increased dramatically. The ability to interact with the internet is quickly becoming recognized worldwide as a determinant of social, economic, and even physiological well-being. With the continuing increase in usage of telehealth, remote work & learning, and distance collaboration tools, the importance of internet access is underwritten by assumptions regarding the internet's stability of connection. A broadly accepted metric to ascertain two-way video & audio stability is known as latency. Being able to empirically and visually describe the geographic distribution of latency across spatial units is of critical importance to understanding where potential policy interventions or government assistance programs are most needed. Similarly, understanding the spatial landscape of latency reveals inequities between socioeconomic, racial, and regional populations. In order to create the most nuanced, empirically sound predictive models to understand factors that influence latency, local regression techniques must be brought to bear. In this paper, I combine a rigorous exploration of the literature with a variety of empirical tools to solve these challenging issues by examining latency across all census tracts in the United States. Quantitative techniques included in this examination are: traditional univariate, bivariate, and multivariable statistical methods, cartographic transformations, exploratory spatial data analysis, autocorrelation analyses, spatial demographic methods, local regression modeling, geographic interpolation, and kriging. I find that rural census tracts, and tracts with higher poverty rates, particularly those with populations other than non-Hispanic White, experience poorer internet stability. I provide identifiable visualizations for where latency is at its best and worst. I classify and specifically identify typologies of neighborhoods to explicitly show discrete groups of census tracts where policymakers can plan interventions. Finally, I present kriging as a methodological tool to predict previously unknown values of latency in order to better fill in the gaps of coverage areas and stability measurements. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19: Threat and vulnerability among Latina immigrants

As has been documented in public health data, infections and deaths from COVID-19 have been inequitably distributed in the United States, producing adverse health outcomes among vulnerable populations including Latina immigrants. Using a critical feminist theoretical perspective, this discussion examines the mechanisms informing these outcomes including lack of access to health insurance and health care and work in low-waged jobs with high potential exposure to the virus. In addition, we examine related risks to this population, including domestic violence during stay-at-home orders. We argue that social workers can join forces with immigrant-led organizations to support advocacy to reverse government policies that limit immigrants' access to health care as well as ensuring that Latina women workers earn adequate wages for essential jobs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Connections through cannabis: Assessing cannabis behaviors and their association with the COVID-19 pandemic and related state policy

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic and related state policy has had varying effects on economic, social, and behavioral factors especially among marginalized populations such as sexual minority (SM) groups. Of specific interest is how cannabis use and cannabis behaviors have been influenced during the COVID-19 pandemic. This dissertation examines changes in sharing of prepared cannabis and cannabis-related paraphernalia (a risk factor for COVID-19 infection) due to the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 state policy among a sample of United States adults who report cannabis use. This dissertation also assess cannabis use and sharing of cannabis among sexual minority and non-sexual minority individuals in the United States. We define sharing of cannabis as sharing of prepared cannabis (cigarettes/joints/blunts) and cannabis-related paraphernalia (pipes/water pipes/rigs/vaporizers/ e-cigarettes/vapes).METHODS: Chapters 2, 3, and 4 use data collected as part of the COVID-19 Cannabis Survey, supported by US National Institute on Drug Abuse and Semel Charitable Foundation. This anonymous cross-sectional web-based survey was among US adults (18 years or older), who reported non-medical cannabis, medical cannabis, or cannabidiol (CBD) use in the last 12 months. The survey was sent out in August - September 2020 where 2,000 respondents were recruited and 1,883 remained eligible after exclusion criteria were applied. Recruitment was based on a convenience sample of respondents on internet-based platforms including Reddit, Bluelight (forum for illicit drug use), Craigslist, and Twitter. This survey included cannabis (non-medical/medical) and CBD frequency of use, reasons for changing cannabis use during the COVID-19 pandemic, sharing behaviors of prepared cannabis and cannabis-related paraphernalia, education, sex, age, sexual orientation, and geographical location (ascertained by collected zip code and state residency). Cannabis use behaviors were assessed in this single survey for a three-month timeframe before the COVID-19 pandemic (January-March 2020) and a three-month timeframe during the COVID-19 pandemic (June-August 2020). Chapter 2 descriptively assessed changes in sharing of prepared cannabis and cannabis-related paraphernalia before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluated the association of non-medical cannabis frequency of use during the pandemic on cannabis sharing. Chapter 3 assessed the association of sexual orientation (sexual minority compared to non-sexual minority respondents) on cannabis use and cannabis sharing during the pandemic. Finally, chapter 4 utilized a semi-individual study design to assess the association of state's COVID-19 policy on sharing of prepared cannabis and cannabis-related paraphernalia. COVID-19 state policy was drawn from the Kaiser Family Foundation's (KFF) State COVID-19 Data and Policy Actions for June, July, and August 2020. We scored policies by strength using a standardized coding method ranging from 0 (no policy action) to 5 (very high/all actions prohibited).RESULTS: Overall, there was an absolute change of 12.7% for no sharing, 4.2% change for sometimes sharing, 2.3% change in sharing about half the time, 8.1% change in sharing most of the time, and 2.6% change in always sharing of prepared cannabis and cannabis-related paraphernalia between the two time periods (before and during the COVID-19 pandemic). Moreover, after adjusting for age, education, tobacco use, and alcohol use, the odds of daily/weekly cannabis use among SM respondents was 0.55 (95% CI 0.41, 0.72) times that of non-SM respondents. After adjusting for age, education, and tobacco use, the odds of any sharing during the pandemic among SM respondents was 1.60 (95% CI 1.13, 2.26) compared to non-SM respondents. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Social dominance orientation, right-wing authoritarianism, and political attitudes toward governmental performance during the COVID-19 pandemic

This research examined the association of social dominance orientation (SDO) and right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) with the evaluations of the government's anti-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) policies and performance. In Study 1 (N = 261), we found that SDO and RWA were positively associated with resistance to criticism about the government's anti-COVID-19 measures. In addition, SDO was positively associated with favorable evaluations of the government's performance in handling the crisis. Support for lockdown policies mediated these attitudes. In Study 2 (N = 438), the results show that SDO and RWA had indirect associations with beliefs in the superiority of China's political system through three mediation variables. Evaluations of the US government's performance in handling the COVID-19 pandemic were negatively associated with beliefs in the superiority of China's political system, and there was a negative relationship between evaluations of the Chinese and US governments' performances. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

"I returned to being an immigrant": Onward Latin American Migrants and Brexit

We explore the experiences of Onward Latin American Migrants (OLAs) in London - individuals born in Latin America who live in London and hold EU passports - with the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS), a programme developed by the British Government to register EU nationals as part of the Brexit process. Drawing from qualitative fieldwork, we show that prior experience of being subject to immigration control in Southern Europe, including periods of irregularity, made OLAs anxious about maintaining lawful residence, favouring their uptake of the EUSS in an effort to re-secure their status and keep their rights. However, many of OLAs' non-EU family members could not apply successfully to the scheme given difficulties in meeting the eligibility criteria - a pattern exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. For many OLAs, the EUSS ultimately signified a loss of rights and secured status which took them long to achieve and a return to a position of uncertainty. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

COVID-19 and the Pakhtun pregnant women

Purpose: This exploratory study aims to explore the Pakhtun pregnant women's experiences/issues during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: This research is based on interviews. Findings: This research found that plummeting medical services pose not only serious health risks to the Pakhtun women in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) but expose them to social and cultural challenges resulting in severe mental health issues. This study also found that the policies adopted by the Government of Pakistan for tackling COVID-19 completely threw off track basic health services that both men and women require in times of health emergencies. Originality/value: This paper is 100% original research based on an exploratory study. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Cyber resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis: A case study

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis around the world and the resulting unprecedented measures taken by governments required organizations to quickly adopt new ways of (remotely) working. At face value, this would suggest a higher vulnerability for cyber threats. This research note analyses how a global financial institution dealt with this challenge by using Hollnagel's four abilities for resilient performance as a theoretical lens. Semi-structured in-depth interviews with eleven key actors were conducted. Three findings stand out. First, the interviews suggest that the organization performed cyber resiliently in the sense that the number of incidents and impact were not significantly higher. Second, the interviews show that all four abilities of resilience were formally developed prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, but rarely resulted in anticipatory adjustment. Third, the interviews indicate that the ability to respond contributed most to the organization's cyber resilience during the pandemic crisis. To conclude, our research note raises the question to what extent the four potentials should be developed beforehand in order to perform resiliently during crises. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)

Does outcome bias trump political tribalism?

Outcome bias occurs when people evaluate decision quality based on the outcome rather than the intentions of the decision maker. We replicate these findings and extend them to the realms of policy and politics. Approximately equal numbers of Republicans and Democrats judged policy decisions aimed at ameliorating the deleterious effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. We manipulated the affiliation of the decider (Republican vs. Democrat) and the aim of the policy (benefits health vs. benefits the economy;benefits health but hurts the economy vs. benefits the economy but hurts health). The results revealed that policy decisions aimed at addressing health problems or aimed at repairing the economy without negative externalities in other spheres of life were evaluated solely as a function of outcome in which successful outcomes generated significantly greater quality ratings than failures. However, judgments of policy decisions aimed at helping one sphere of life but hurting another (i.e., business closures) were qualified by significant interactions with the political party affiliation of the decision maker and that of the participant. Republicans' responses show evidence for outcome bias while favoring Republican deciders. In contrast, Democrats exhibited a greater degree of outcome bias while favoring decisions that prioritized health over the economy relative to decisions that prioritized the economy over health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement What is the significance of this article for the general public?-Even though the COVID-19 pandemic is a health problem, a large proportion of people treated it as a political issue for which voters' political affiliation determined their response to the pandemic. Dealing effectively with the pandemic requires a unified response in a situation where health and the economy are frequently at loggerheads. Here we examined how voters think about policy decisions that aimed to address either public health or economic concerns stemming from the pandemic. In half of the cases, policies aimed at addressing one issue were detrimental to another. In general, people judge policy decisions as a function of their outcomes;however, they are more likely to be influenced by their political considerations when policies addressing one issue end up being detrimental to another. Specifically, Republicans' responses show evidence for outcome bias while favoring Republican deciders. In contrast, Democrats exhibited a greater degree of outcome bias while favoring decisions that prioritized health over the economy relative to decisions that prioritized the economy over health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)